For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been reading 2 books: one for Christian leaders and one for business leaders. The books are Doing Church as a Team and Organizing Genius. Both have given me great insight into teams and collaboration. What are you reading?

I’m also pleased to see what happens when churches collaborate with one another like churches do through Unite! here in Atlanta. Do you collaborate? If so, please share.

The following is a guest blog by Rich Kirkpatrick, Worship Pastor at Sunridge Community Church – Temecula, CA

Art by committee comes out rather ugly, but art by collaboration shines.
One of the biggest frustrations in any creative endeavor is dealing with committee-driven process. This is not the same as collaboration. Its one thing to sit in a group that nit picks rather than team together to create. Let me contrast the two.

Committee vs. Collaboration

policy / results

opinions / ownership

tinkering / crafting

power / process

beige / colorful

safe / risky

boring / fun

defused / potent

status quo / fluid

Let me know what you think about the differences here. Are these true to your experience?

Mind mapping is something that I learned and began to truly appreciate through my friend, Tony Steward (Online Community Pastor at LifeChurch.tv). Up until recently it was always done on paper (Moleskin). Yesterday he sent me an email introduction to MindMeister. I was instantly interested! I signed up and watched their helpful tutorial video (it’s brief).

There are a number of ways that you as a Church leader could use this new tool. Whether it be as a Senior Pastor, Executive Pastor, Worship Pastor (leading a creative team), Small Groups – you name it – there’s a way that this can be a great tool and resource for your ministry.

You can share your mind map with friends. Share instantly any mind map with friends and colleagues. Invitees will receive an email with a link and – depending on what access you give them – will be able to contribute or just read.

Real-time collaboration. When two or more users open the same mind map at the same time you are in brainstorming mode. Every change you make will be replicated instantly to your fellow editors’ screens via our server. Through colour-coded effects they will see what you did and vice versa, no reload necessary.

Summary: MindMeister brings the concept of mind mapping to the web, using its facilities for real-time collaboration to allow truly global brainstorming sessions. Users can create, manage and share mind maps online and access them anytime, from anywhere. In brainstorming mode, fellow MindMeisters from around the world (or just in different rooms) can simultaneously work on the same mind map and see each other’s changes as they happen.

There’s a free version and a premium version that only costs $4 a month. $4 bucks a month! Check it out and let me know if you have something you’d like to share. I may have something I’ll share soon with you.

PERSONAL:
Today is 9/11. We pause to remember what happen on that tragic day. 9/11 is also my mom’s birthday. Mom: Happy Birthday!